Finnish care workers used Google Translate for patient records, investigation finds

A home care company in Finland allowed employees with little or no Finnish language skills to document patient care using machine translation tools, an investigation by public broadcaster Yle has revealed.

At Keltakulta Hoiva, a private home care provider, staff members who could barely speak Finnish relied on Google Translate to write patient reports, according to Yle’s review of regulatory documents. The practice raised concerns about patient safety, as inaccurate translations could lead to errors in medication, treatment, or emergency response.

The company’s managing director disputed the findings, insisting that employees’ language skills were sufficient for their duties.

Yle’s broader examination of Finland’s elderly care sector—based on oversight decisions by the Finnish Licensing and Supervisory Authority (LVV) from late 2023 to early 2026—uncovered widespread deficiencies in both public and private care facilities. Records showed repeated failures in medication management, emergency response, and basic safety protocols, with incidents reported across the country.

In one case, staff at a care home diluted opioid medication with water, while in another, emergency calls from residents went unanswered.